Five0retired
Member
Is there a source who can fabricate parts such as a Hammer for a Smith and Wesson Top Break Fourth Model .32 revolver?
Is there a source who can fabricate parts.
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Wee Hooker
Member
Assuming you've exhausted all resources of used parts, you're going to want an old school gunsmith for that. (i.e not just an armorer.) as it will likely involve welding, cutting and heat treating. It's a bit of work (and $). Someone like Ken Pacheco of the Village Gunsmith in Dartmouth, MA comes to mind but you may have one closer.
deadin
US Veteran
I would think you should be able to buy a donor gun for considerably less than paying someone to fabricate, harden and fit a new hammer.
michpatriot
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Micro tig build up
I preform that type of work, I run a small welding business in South East lower Mi. Local gunshops call on me from time to time for jobs like yours. You are looking for someone who can do a micro tig build up on the existing hammer and then shape the weld. A trace from a complete hammer would be helpful. Or at least a actual size picture of the proper nose shape. Final length tuning would be done with the hammer in the frame adjusting how much shows on the primer. Then I would remove the hammer again and heat treat it. Not a cheap fix, but hens teeth never are, have you exhausted all other avenues for acquiring a replacement? You could try Williams gunsite in mid Michigan they might have a hammer.
I preform that type of work, I run a small welding business in South East lower Mi. Local gunshops call on me from time to time for jobs like yours. You are looking for someone who can do a micro tig build up on the existing hammer and then shape the weld. A trace from a complete hammer would be helpful. Or at least a actual size picture of the proper nose shape. Final length tuning would be done with the hammer in the frame adjusting how much shows on the primer. Then I would remove the hammer again and heat treat it. Not a cheap fix, but hens teeth never are, have you exhausted all other avenues for acquiring a replacement? You could try Williams gunsite in mid Michigan they might have a hammer.
Jim Watson
Member
Slot the hammer and put in a separate firing pin like a Hand Ejector, maybe.
Chris Hirsch ([email protected]) specializes in the repair and restoration of antique firearms.
He repaired (tig welded/shaped/finished) a broken/completely destroyed NM #3 Target latch for me. The finished product is indistinguishable from new as respects fit/finish/function. I liken his work to eye surgery. (You might want to think about that for a bit.) He did this in VERY short order, as witnessed by his fee-----$75---which is to say he spent no time sitting and staring, no time wondering, no time with false starts, no time hesitating for fear of failure; he just sat down and did it----BAM!! DONE!!-----which is to say he KNEW EXACTLY what to do and EXACTLY how to do it. I'm a VERY happy camper!!
To put all this in proper perspective, this is one of those guns chambered ONLY in 32-44 S&W or 38-44 S&W. You can confirm that in any book ever written on the topic. This one is chambered in "38 WINCHESTER CTG"---which suggests it's something special. The price I paid for it suggests it's something special too. Another item of perspective is the latch is numbered to the gun. In the event it needs to be replaced, any replacement IS NOT numbered to the gun. God forbid!!! I was (somewhat) prepared for such an eventuality, having secured a complete target latch assembly from George Dye---an unnumbered target latch assembly-----a like new, unnumbered target latch assembly. Thank God (and George) for small favors!!!---including those which turn out to be unnecessary. I still have that target latch assembly to remind me of what might have been----God forbid again!!!!
I selected Chris from among several other possibilities. Each and every one of them had responded with some variation of "I think I can fix it." Chris responded with "I'm sure I can fix it." I also selected Chris because he does work for David Carroll. THAT got my attention----to begin with.
Ralph Tremaine
He repaired (tig welded/shaped/finished) a broken/completely destroyed NM #3 Target latch for me. The finished product is indistinguishable from new as respects fit/finish/function. I liken his work to eye surgery. (You might want to think about that for a bit.) He did this in VERY short order, as witnessed by his fee-----$75---which is to say he spent no time sitting and staring, no time wondering, no time with false starts, no time hesitating for fear of failure; he just sat down and did it----BAM!! DONE!!-----which is to say he KNEW EXACTLY what to do and EXACTLY how to do it. I'm a VERY happy camper!!
To put all this in proper perspective, this is one of those guns chambered ONLY in 32-44 S&W or 38-44 S&W. You can confirm that in any book ever written on the topic. This one is chambered in "38 WINCHESTER CTG"---which suggests it's something special. The price I paid for it suggests it's something special too. Another item of perspective is the latch is numbered to the gun. In the event it needs to be replaced, any replacement IS NOT numbered to the gun. God forbid!!! I was (somewhat) prepared for such an eventuality, having secured a complete target latch assembly from George Dye---an unnumbered target latch assembly-----a like new, unnumbered target latch assembly. Thank God (and George) for small favors!!!---including those which turn out to be unnecessary. I still have that target latch assembly to remind me of what might have been----God forbid again!!!!
I selected Chris from among several other possibilities. Each and every one of them had responded with some variation of "I think I can fix it." Chris responded with "I'm sure I can fix it." I also selected Chris because he does work for David Carroll. THAT got my attention----to begin with.
Ralph Tremaine
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deadin
US Veteran
Ralph,
Somehow I can't quite equate preserving the matching serial number on a quite rare variation with replacing the (unnumbered) hammer in a very common and inexpensive gun. (Even at $75, I don't think it would be worth it.
Five0... Have you checked with Jack First or Popperts?
Somehow I can't quite equate preserving the matching serial number on a quite rare variation with replacing the (unnumbered) hammer in a very common and inexpensive gun. (Even at $75, I don't think it would be worth it.
Five0... Have you checked with Jack First or Popperts?
OP
Five0retired
Member
I have checked Jack first
OP
Five0retired
Member
deadin:
Thanks !!! checked with Popperts, they had it listed in stock and faxed in my Order for the hammer, Hammer Stud and Hammer stud nut..
will let you all know how I make out ..
......Popperts just got back to me , They do not have the part in Stock ....Dratz...
Five0retired.
Thanks !!! checked with Popperts, they had it listed in stock and faxed in my Order for the hammer, Hammer Stud and Hammer stud nut..
will let you all know how I make out ..
......Popperts just got back to me , They do not have the part in Stock ....Dratz...
Five0retired.
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Apologies------I hadn't intended to equate anything to anything---only to explain/emphasize my apprehension of my predicament---and to sing the praises of the wizard who solved my problem----and who is more than capable of solving the problem with the common and inexpensive gun---or any other gun---especially those many "gunsmiths" have never seen nor heard of.
Ralph Tremaine
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deadin
US Veteran
But at what cost?? It should take the same amount of effort to "fix" a latch problem on a scarce 38/40 as it would to do the same fix on a common gun. Will he charge the same for both?
Most anything is repairable if you throw enough money at it, but is it worth it.......
For Five0.... Good luck with the hammer stud. Sometimes they can be a real bugger to get out.
tlay
US Veteran
I probably have a hammer for it. P.M. me or better yet email me and I will P.M. you.
tlay
US Veteran
Just to give you guys a heads up I have a lot of top break parts and guns I will be putting up for sale or trade in the near future. I would like to sell or trade the lot. Email me if interested.
The Norseman
Member
tlay
US Veteran
Email sent to you.
S&WsRsweet
Member
It is good when a forum member shares information about guys who have done exceptional work for them it helps the person who is doing tne work with word of mouth advertising ect but it also helps those of us who do t have the connections some of you have While some of my firearms are working guns to carry for various reasons I have a couple that are just fun to own and shoot on occasion they are more of my hobby and I dontlook at themas investments so how much is too much to spend on repairs especially fabrication and fitting of parts is subjective so if I spend 100 bucks on a gun that is worth maybe 300 have I spent too much ? Maybe but if I get many hours of enjoyment say in tne next coupl of years owning and shooting that firearm then have I spent too much ,I don't think so .I feel we sometimes get caught in the trap of looking at everything as an investment to the point we don't enjoy our hobby so thanks t everyone who added information trying to answer the original question about fabrication and fitting of parts.
OP
Five0retired
Member
Well no luck in finding a Hammer for my S&W, Double Action, Top Break, fourth Model .32 cal revolver. I will keep hunting the auction sites. Merry Xmas all.
Check out the site gunpartauction.com.
Guy
Guy
